I enjoyed a ride on the New Flyer XcelsiorÆ electric bus thanks to the Sierra Club a couple of years ago. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority was collaborating with the Sierra Club on demos of future bus investments. The benefits of 100% electric transit are varied — they significantly limit toxic fumes and dirty particulates, the reduces headaches and asthma as a result, they’re quieter and comfier thanks to the smooth electric powertrain, and they eliminate reliance on expensive gasoline and diesel fuel.
Looking north to The Société de transport de Montréal (“STM”), which provides public transportation in Montréal, Québec, 100% electric public transit is showing via a large order of 40 electric buses from New Flyer. STM delivers over 260 million passenger rides per year as the second most heavily used urban mass transit system in Canada and the third most heavily used rapid transit system in North America. So, congratulations and thanks are owed to The Société de transport de Montréal. The electric buses are forty-foot Xcelsior CHARGE heavy-duty buses. The buses are destined for Montréal and Laval and will surely boost public health in those cities.”Even brief increases in exposure to PM2.5 Air Pollution are associated with a rise in lung infections amongst children,” we’ve reported previously.
“Increased exposure to particulate matter PM2.5 air pollution, even when it is only very brief, is associated with a rise in the likelihood of young children developing acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI), a new study has found.
“That study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that such fine-particulate air pollution exposure was also associated with an increase in doctor visits, unsurprisingly. …
“The basic point, though, is easy to understand: short-term exposure to fine-particulate air pollution (common anywhere that there are roads, combustion of any kind, and/or agriculture) is intimately involved with the development of lung infections in humans.”
New Flyer Canada ULC (“New Flyer”) is the Canadian subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), the largest transit bus and motorcoach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America. Here’s more from the company about the contract: “New Flyer bid successfully against two competitors, confirming its position as now serving all 25 of the largest transit agencies in North America. The notice to proceed for the pilot bus is expected October 31, 2018, and the notice to proceed for the production buses is expected following the nine-month review of the pilot bus.
“The new order, supported by funding from provincial and federal governments, includes 10 buses for STL and 30 buses for STM, together making it the largest ever Canadian battery-electric bus procurement to date. The purchase furthers efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by exploring unique electric mobility solutions to create more livable cities. Currently, both agencies operate battery-electric bus pilot programs and intend to be fully electric in future with STL and STM committing to buy only electric buses as of 2023 and 2025, respectively.”
The buses will use depot-based charging to slow-charge the buses, with 466kWh batteries on board.
“New Flyer is proud to deliver on Canada’s largest battery-electric, zero-emission bus procurement, bringing electric mobility to the communities of Laval and Montréal,” said Jennifer McNeill, Vice President, Sales, and Marketing. “We remain committed to creating more livable cities through engineering smarter and more efficient buses, and working collaboratively with industry leaders such as STL and STM to deliver connected, zero-emission public transit solutions.”
Laval and Montréal are now among Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Portland, Palm Springs, and other cities across North America operating New Flyer’s zero-emission, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses.
Related Stories:
BYD Charges Into Norway — 42 Articulated Electric Buses Ordered For Oslo
All New Flyer Facilities Can Now Manufacture Xcelsior CHARGE Battery-Electric Buses
Columbia University Getting 6 All-Electric New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE Buses
New Flyer Completes 1,800 Electric Bus Passenger Rides, 1,150 Miles New Flyer Xcelsior
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